If anyone wants to take an optimistic view of what Moyes has just said re further signings, then perhaps crumbs of comfort can be found in the phrases 'for the time being' and 'before the new season starts in August'. That could be read as saying there may be movement after start of the season ? there'll still be two weeks before the transfer window closes after all.

I'll take those rose-tinted specs off now.

David Moyes has told reporters in OZ that the £2m outlay so far is all the club can afford! We haven't got a pot to piss in!!!

How on earth have we got so little money when last year we spent just the Lescott money and we've received extra TV revenue?!

It's likely we are going to have sudden last-minute signings again. A good tactic to keep ourselves and our targets off the radar to prevent them from being hijacked.

I find it amazing that Moyes has come out and said that there will be no more spending.

3 untested strikers and a reserve keeper.

Thats all Moyes feels the squad needs?

I know we have a very strong squad now but are 3 untested strikers and a reserve keeper going to propel Everton into the Top 5?

Are 3 untested youngsters and a reserve keeper going be enough to challenge big spending Man City and Spurs?

It's so important to keep our best players, but I'm not too bothered about bringing in new ones. We don't need any more in midfield, and those we have are superb... the envy of many clubs, I'm sure.

Defence will be better this year, with Jags back to fitness and Heitinga slotting in like he's played here for years. It's up front that bothers me: neither Saha nor Yak looked hungry nor capable in the latter half of last season; perhaps the new signings up front will compete for places and make our senior strikers buck their ideas up.

Morale, discipline, respect: this Everton team seems to have a lot for each other, and let's hope it pays off this season. I'm very positive about the upcoming campaign, but I do wonder why there's nothing to spend... does it all go on wages?

We've been renewing contracts all over the place and are still trying to do so with Pienaar and Arteta. That equates to millions over the course of a season and many recognise that this is by and large the most important thing for Everton Football Club right now, i.e to hold on to what we've got.

And if ever a phrase bugged the shit out of me it's got to be "we haven't got a pot to piss in". Aaaaarrrrgggghhh!!! It generally gets mentioned by Moyes every year that he has no money to spend and from somewhere he makes a good signing. I remain convinced that no-one is leaving us this summer, which I'm more than happy with... even if no-one else comes in.

While the new signings are untested, we are going to be propelled into the top 5 due to our fitness. We get Arteta, Jags, Vic, and Yakubu healthy at the start of the season, not each of them coming back halfway through. That is four starters that were missing, I like to see that as four new signings that didn't cost us more. We'll also be getting Fellaini back before too long, so that will be nice and offer us some variety. Rodwell and Coleman will both be getting a lot more playing time this year. There are only so many minutes to go around, I like our chances right now (we just can't afford many injuries).

And to the idea of our finances not letting us keep Pienaar or Arteta... Moyes didn't say there was no money, he said there was no money for new signings. He may have some cash right now that he is reserving to ensure he can keep one or both of them as his higher priority is likely keeping them vs signing someone new.

Moyes knows what he is doing. He could be playing coy to keep someone else from stealing or inflating the price for a signing. He could be saving money as insurance to keep or replace Pienaar or Arteta. He could be using this as a bargaining tool. Who knows.

I trust him, he's proven quite shrewd and adept at the transfer market and has far more hits than misses.

And even if this is the end of our dealings, I for one like our squad right now.

I don't know the ins & outs of the club's finances but maybe the club is being prudent. If they don't spend any money this summer (and let's be honest, the squad is pretty good), maybe they can put some in the bank?

As Gary says, Moyes has been saying we've got no money to spend every single summer since he joined us. For anyone interested: BK is looking for investors 24/7 and Jagielka/Yakubu/Arteta et al having had a good pre-season and being fully fit will be like whole new signings!

Sometimes I think they just copy-paste these stories every 6 months or so...

Yeah, Gary, you said it. Moyes said ages ago the key is to keep the squad we have... and for the first time everyone to a man agrees this is priority. As such, he is doing what he said: trying to tie up our boys left right and centre... Now, Mikel and Pienaar, do what you're told.

If we keep them... and with a couple of exciting youngsters pushing for first team spots, the future is blue!

One other thing: I think those "before the season starts" statements do deffo leave the door open to the last two weeks when we have some cash again... I'm still thinking we might just pull off another pricy player.. We might just have to wait till the end of August...

Add to that, Seamus is back... it's like a new signing!

Baxter a year older...

If we keep all our guys, I couldn't give a toss if no-one else comes in.

So when The Mirror post an article about a prospective transfer target, we simply rubbish it as only The Mirror, probably never happen, yet we suddenly, now that a negative article is written, we are classifying it as fact!

#1, "If anyone wants to take an optimistic view of what Moyes has just said re further signings, then perhaps crumbs of comfort can be found in the phrases 'for the time being' and 'before the new season starts in August'.

I read that as we'll be signing Landon in January, once we've topped the table by Christmas. Right now, the priority is to keep what we've got and sort out new contracts for Arteta and Pienaar first.

Just as a few have already said, Moyes's comment was "before the season starts". The season starts on August 14th and the transfer window doesn't close until the 31st. I believe the TV money doesn't get distributed until the last week of the month. In the past Kenwright has taken out loans against the TV money so we have had money earlier to bring in players. I think that the last 2 years he has tapped out on these resources which means we have to wait until the last minute to bring in a raft of players.

I would imagine Moyes has a couple of deals already lined up, so that when the money is available, players are brought in quickly. Similar to last year, when Lescott left, Bily, Distin & Heitinga all came in within a couple of days, and none of these seemed like last minute panic buys.

We compete by:

1 - Buying young, unpolished players with lots of potential on the cheap
2 - Investing in our own locally-nurtured youth and blooding them in lower leagues via loans
3 - Making purchases of best-performing players (unpolished diamonds) from the lower leagues
4 - When possible making the odd marquee signing now and then.

Moyes is doing exactly that and I would actually be relatively at ease (not exactly thrilled, but relatively happy) if we start the season with the current squad.

If anybody is wondering why we do not have a pot to piss in, you should read this excellent article from a blogger football fan who has financial experience:

http://swissramble.blogspot.com/2010/04/why-has-nobody-bought-everton.html

One thing not mentioned is NO European football this season. Now that reduces the strain on our squad and with the injury crisis we had from last year it will seem to Moyes an embarrassment of riches.

I honestly think that we need less new players than before: cover for left back, which Distin can do; right mid: maybe Big Vic, Coleman, or one of the new guys; and a striker... well, we've just got three new ones, maybe one will come good and let's face it a 20-goals-a-season striker would cost £20 - £30 mill.

I'm happy with just keeping what we have ? especially Arteta.

Why don't we sell the Yak? To be fair, he is not the player he once was and, if the rumours are true about West Ham offering £8 Million, we should take it.

With the money, we could pay Donovan big wages and raise our profile in the US, thus making EFC bigger profits and hopefully more money to spend.

Fingers crossed, Beckford turns into a star and the other lads put pen to paper.

In Moyes we trust. COYB

Glen (#14);

Few would disagree with your crisp summary of the actions which our manager has been implementing, and pretty much since his arrival.

I guess my frustration is the feeling that if only we had £30-50 million to spend, we would be certainties for the CL next year. Everton?s problems have been well identified and discussed at length, in the article to which you refer, and elsewhere. But we seem to have been following this ?obstacle dominance? line for decades.

Maybe it really isn?t possible to secure investment without leaving yourself exposed to an RS type scenario. But I find it hard to believe ?

We need the one winger. And it annoys the hell of me when Moyes says things like these!

It's clear for two or three seasons now that our right side is imbalanced and it's need to be sorted. How can a side challenging consistently for Europe not have any money at all? I'm not expecting much but about £10 mil surely. We seem to have spent that much on players over the last three or four seasons.

What interests me though is he hasn't ruled out loan signings. That looks most likely to me at the moment.

Slightly off the subject: does anyone know how Fellaini's progressing? It's worrying that he didn't make pre-season.

David, physioroom.com shows he's due to return on 14 August.

Maybe it's just me, but I have never had the feeling that Everton have been a big spending club, so I am not particularly surprised by Moyes's comments. Our income goes on servicing the debts it took to get this squad together, and keeping them on decent contracts. This won't change until we find a method of funding ourselves, and as it stands we can't even get a 37,000 average, nevermind the 50,000 needed to get income in excess of £100 million each year.

To answer the question of 'how do we compete?', there is only one answer... And that is to hope our manager breaks into the CL within the current financial constraints.

Difficult? Yes. Impossible? No. It's keeping the 1st team fit and confident that has held us back. If we can have one season of good fortune regarding injuries, I believe we will do it.

I think most people have now thankfully dismissed the ludicrous belief that a new owner is going to come in and bankroll some big signings without doing long term damage to the club. But there will always be those people who believe a new chairman will bring untold riches and fortune, ironically they are the same people who were 'complaining' last close season that Everton were not being invested in, and clubs with 'vision and business acumen' like Portsmouth and Notts County were!

I think in recent seasons, the Sky money doesn't kick in until mid-August so that's why we might not have any for the "start of the season", as DM says.

How do we compete? We don't at the moment!!! Sad as that may seem, unless we can get to the Champions League group stages and beyond on a regular basis, then we will be feeding on scraps in the league and maybe a good cup run....

The lack of investment in the summer after we finished 4th ruined our best chance of moving to the next level for a number of years. Unless Manchester United or Chelsea have financial problems, they will take two of the top four places, Arsenal would be expected to be thereabouts and when Manchester City buy their way to the top table, that cuts us, Tottenham, Aston Villa and Liverpool out of the big money.

With no distractions of European competition this year, we can take advantage of other team's extra games so that we qualify for the Champions League ? but to do this, we also need better players... now who can play at that level? Not young players with potential or lower level signings who may come good. If we miss out again each year will get harder...

I am the only one who thinks Moyes has been very cute in this statement?

Look back at the previous few close-seasons and Everton's transfer activities. As we've all bemoaned, we're consistently very late in the market. This has been down to needing to sell to buy in some cases, but more likely because the club literally needs to get the Sky cheque cashed, which doesn't come through til around the time the season actually starts.

So maybe I'm being overly optimistic, but maybe Moyes is right in that there won't be any more signings because there's no money, but that he's forgetting to mention that the money to spend will be there in the next month. He actually says himself 'there won't be any signings for the time being.'

My guess is that if you go back through last summer's interviews and press conferences from around this time in the calendar, you'll find similar statements (except of course we had even signed any kids/prospects this time last year.)

But then a few weeks later we'd go and buy Fellaini/Saha/Heitinga/Bily once Sky had greased our palm.

I find it more surprising that so many people still can't believe we are potless. BK hasn't got any money, he has used up his friends... and the banks won't lend him any more ? yet many cling to the surprise 'marquee' signing. This subject of income was done to death last season where the only revenue stream making profits at the club are player sales. With that in mind, don't expect big money signings unless a sacrifice is made and current squad players are sold.

Ollie, I'm pretty certain Fellaini was a bank loan/never never deal a few seasons ago, Saha was a freebie and Heitinga and Bily were bought with the 30 pieces of silver the gobshites at Shitty gave us for Worf and not Sky money.

You're right that City put a large amount of money towards our dealings last year, but that doesn't mean the Sky money didn't either. If the Sky money came through earlier, we could've bought those two players earlier in the summer and books balance later when City inevitably bought Lescott once the season had started. We probably could've got them a bit cheaper as well, because of the premium you pay for a player when the deadline is approaching.

As for Fellaini, yes, he was a paid for on a loan. But you can't take out a loan without some sort of security. For us, that's Sky money. And Saha was only free in that we didn't have to hand over anything at the time. But we lost future income. So it can't really be described as free in anyway.

When Moyes makes these statements, it makes you realise how little money we have to spend ? a paltry £1M this year?

And to think those gobshites over the road are moaning that Roy is 'only' being given £20M to spend this summer. If Moyes had half of that a year, we would be absolute bankers for the Champions League year on year...

Dick Anderson,

It's got nothing to do with what Moyes thinks that Everton 'need' to propel them into the top 4 and everything to do with the fact that the club HAVE NO MONEY.

I'm sure Moyes would love to buy Iniesta, Messi and Ronaldo but he can't because HE HAS NO MONEY TO BUY THEM WITH!!!

Remember, even loans and free transfers costs millions in wages.

If we haven't got the money, we haven't got the money. Wherever our income derives from, it is accounted for. Even before the close season, Moyes stated that his focus would be to tie his best players to long-term contracts. It's a smart move, because we now have not just good players, but by a very long way our best squad for over 20 years.

It is now much harder to borrow money, or even just to keep borrowing what the club was borrowing before the credit squeeze. We are cutting our cloth accordingly but let's not overlook the family jewels that we already have. We are also lucky to now have a manager who is settled, strong, determined and driving us to compete some way beyond where we have a right to expect.

I mean, I truly, honestly, believe that we have every chance of making top 4, and even a chance of the league. I don't EXPECT it, but I will be more surprised to see us 5th - 8th than I will be 1st - 4th. Yet, with our resources, size of support and lack of spending power, what right do we have to be at the very top table when we are constantly reminded that it's all about money.

We have, in my opinion, the best midfield in the EPL. Our defence, despite some aberrations last season, has few superiors, and our attack is adequate (we have options). Games are increasingly won by midfield and tactics. That's why I think we're in the mix this season even without the arrival of David Villa or Lionel Messi.

Strikes me as pretty obvious why we haven't got any cash. When we sold Lescott last year, we replaced him with Bilyaletdinov, Distin AND Heitinga. Since then, we've signed Beckford and a few kids, re-signed Baines, Rodwell, Cahill and others to improved contracts (as well as signing Landon Donovan on for a couple of months), without losing anyone at all.

Since the time David Moyes was famously told he could have one big signing a season, he has practically doubled the size of the wage bill. Let's just assume for arguments sake that the average first-team player is now on £25k per week compared to the average £17k per week in those days, add to that the number and quality of players in the squad, and you can see how those rules can no longer apply. We've taken our annual capital cash injection from season tickets and TV (which was previously used on transfer fees) and put it straight in the bank to pay for wages instead.

This is very positive as far as I'm concerned because it is a lot cheaper to pay your star players more as they improve and therefore appreciate as assets to the business than to splash cash on ready made replacements. Add to that the fact it looks like we're going to have to save up to buy our own stadium and I'm amazed DM's managed to buy anyone at all.

Got to a point in football now where I'd rather we went about things as Moyes has just stated rather than chase dreams at the expense at it all going wrong a season or two later. Maybe it's our own belt tightening in life, but we've got a nice mix at the moment in the squad and our debts are what's crippling us more than the playing staff. It would be good to spend a season or two paying the piper, so to speak, as our side matures and hopefully bags a trophy of some sort to keep us happy among the ups and downs.

A change is coming in the prem, and it'll be the well run clubs that stay in the league. Hopefully Kenwright and Co are doing some night classes.

Reading this from The Times last season, some of the income to wage ratios are just plain barmy and asking for Pompey style meltdowns.

http://extras.timesonline.co.uk/pdfs/moneygame.pdf

What a miserable shower we are. Everton remind me of a friend of mine. Always crying poverty. The guy works cash in hand and claims the rock 'n' roll and still he never comes out at the weekend.

No shit, Sherlock. Moyes isn't telling us anything we didn't already know. The club's been skint for years and Bill's begging bowl stopped getting topped up by his buddies a couple of seasons ago now. The only way we managed to finance any player acquisitions at all last summer was through flogging Lescott at an inflated price. Season-long loan deals and free transfers were always likely to be the only real options open to us this summer, and that won't change unless one of the current squad is sold for decent money first.

He is pleading poverty on purpose! If the clubs know we have money, the price goes up.

I think the way he goes about his business is a credit to the club. I'm excited about the new season and feel that even a couple of of the 'untried players' will turn into gems. Then other prem managers will say they were considering signing them.

Hopefully Pienaar and Arteta sign and we have nothing to fear this season!

COYB

On the other hand, La Liga and CL Uber-Power Barcelona had to go hat in hand begging the banks for a £125 million loan. You know, to meet payroll and stuff. Just missed having to go into bankruptcy.

Moyes is doing just fine for EFC. It's taken a few years, yes, but we're finally there to contend legitimately.

Gavin (#27), I must protest. Refering to Lescott as Worf. The Klingons will be insulted because they have honour... he looks more like Quark.

Not sure saying "Once someone pays a fortune for The Yak/Saha/Pienaar/Arteta then we won't spend..." would help the team focus on pre-season training or drive up the value of whomever Moyes commented on. Keeping the squad intact (as stated by many) is the most important thing.

Without Europe and our pay policy, we'd struggle to entice an established player, should one be sold for any small fortune we receive.

Signing up Rodwell was important, but if he has as good a season as many predict, he'll be off next summer in all probability, for mega bucks CL etc (unless we win the league, of course!).

I must be one of the very few who is content with our current finacial limitations. Sometimes I wish we could be in City's position & then again sometimes I'm glad we aren't. At the moment we are building something up in the right way, the old fashioned way, a product of hard work & shrewd management.

In many ways, I'm proud of the way we go about things. Would I prefer unlimited funds, going out & buying whoever we want? Probably yes, but without actually being in that position I feel that we are respected (if not slightly patronised) by the media & rival clubs & even maybe some rival fans.

With our current squad & assuming David Moyes can inspire the team to play as they did after Christmas last season, I honestly think we can cause a major upset this coming season, not just top four but actually push the top teams all the way. We just need to play without fear.

World Economy is still not so great. Or has it gone gang buster's across the pond? Anyways, I think that the team won't be in the bottom, but they won't be in the top 6 this year... we are in a 'holding pattern' until we can land on a golden runway that is owned by some rich bloke. With Donavon and now Henry going on US airwaves more and more... maybe we will get lucky and have some NFL owner buy us... LOL!!!!!!

Whilst Moyes has stated that there is no money available for transfers before the ?season starts? and has also stated that he has a strong squad I do feel that he needs re-enforcements and possibly a ?marquee? signing if either Arteta or Pienaar decide to move on. In this second case he will undoubtedly get the monies (a la Lescott) to sign some quality.

If both stay, I still feel that there are still some shortcomings, particularly at centre back, left back and a wide man with pace. Elsewhere we have an abundance of cover.

At centre back I do not believe that Moyes regards a possible Heitinga and Jags combination as a viable one at all. Neither are tall enough to cope with the Drogbas, Crouchs, Stokes, Blackburns etc. He will always want a tall guy there, primarily Distin, but I think he?s lost confidence in Yobo. I suspect Yobo knows this but whether he leaves or not depends on whether we?re offered anything at all in a transfer situation or the club take pity and let him go free ? which I doubt!

Moyes must want a replacement there. Duffy wouldn?t have been ready even before his cruel injury. Of all those out there possibly available, I see Onuhua from City as a prime candidate, but if you believe the prices the press quote, he?s available for £4m... £4m too much for us.

We have just got to get cover for Baines ? neither Hibbert or Neville are a long term cover if he?s injured. Neither have got a left peg delivery, which can get anywhere near Baines?s quality crosses. At the moment we have no viable in-club youngster coming through, both Bidwell and Garbutt are too young. I don?t know of any possible replacement out there.

Out wide we have got Pienaar (providing he doesn?t leave) and Anichebe. Anichebe has come on a ton over the last year and has even scored a few goals playing out wide but I suspect he also could do a job upfront. To me Bily is just not a wide man. He has no pace at all and again will probably find his best position in the middle just off the front man, if he ever gets a chance there.

The days of using Osman, Arteta out wide have surely gone. Maybe Gueuye will prove to be a wide pacey winger but from what I saw on Wednesday against Melbourne he doesn?t want to be out there, like Bily he seems better suited to the middle of the park. Again casting our net out there, I suspect we?d all want to see Donovan return but I believe he?s probably out of our price range following his World Cup exploits, unless of course Pienaar leaves us.

I have a sneaky feeling Moyes knows he?s likely to loose Arteta or Pienaar or both before the deadline and he?ll have replacements in mind once he gets his hand on the money ? but again I haven?t a clue who if Arteta leaves, which is undoubtedly the worst-case scenario.

I agree with Glen Anderson's comments (15) ? the players that have been signed, with the exception of Beckford, were unknown to the great majority of Evertonians... indeed, fans of other clubs in the Premier League will probably have never heard of them. But was Fabregas a major headline signing for Arsenal when he joined them? Also Viera?

As a kid, I remember when Everton were seemingly at the forefront of clubs making major signings. However, that didn't always guarantee success. I had a look at the Siteh website yesterday ? there were five goalkeepers listed!! They have just signed Boateng who played at left back for Germany in the World Cup and they already have Wayne Bridge. But even Citeh will be selling some players ? as a work colleague said, "You can only have a maximum of 11 players on the pitch."

I would rather Everton were realistic in budgeting for transfers. I recall last year when Hull City were spending money on transfers ? clearly money that they didn't have; their dealings have resulted in financial troubles now, so much so that they are bemoaning the breakdown of a loan transfer of Bullard to Celtic. On the news, I read that Portsmouth may still find themselves with a transfer embargo. Do we really want to see Everton splashing the cash in the transfer market in the same way as these two clubs?

I am not sure exactly what deals will go through this summer for any of the clubs. There is so much speculation as to who is going where and who is being bought etc. However, one thing I think is sure: I think there will be only one club splashing the cash ? Man City. I think there will be much wheeling and dealing i.e. even the likes of Man Utd, if they are to make a major signing, will have to offset it by selling.

Financial reality and common sense seems to have arrived ? and I think we will be better placed than some clubs. I applaud David Moyes's honesty and reality; however, I do have to say I wish he could have "kept his cards closer to his chest", so to speak.

Michael #43 ... maybe Davie is keeping his cards close to his chest. If my memory serves me right, we make this statement every year... the last thing we want is every club thinking we're loaded and pushing up the bill because they think we can afford it. I mean, let's be honest, Man City pay 30% above what any other club would for the same player. £24M for Lescott now just seems like daylight robbery.

On another note, I believe Moyes when he says it though.

I don't get why people will be happy if we sign no-one. Fact is you can NEVER have a perfect squad, every team must improve each year.

Look at Barca, they won the double so they buy David Villa and are in for either Fabregas or Torres!

What Moyes has done is he's put into a position where we only need a couple of players to improve the first team each summer. That's testament to him and the stability he has brought. But still, we need a couple more players!

Philip, I can well understand you apparent frustrations with the latest statement from David Moyes ref no money to spend. I'm sure I don't have to point out to you or anyone else on this forum that we hear the same statements from him and Everton FC every year so I for one am not surprised by this.
I am also not going to get too wound up by it either. Why? Because something good can always come from something not so good. Having (apparently) no money to spend will force DM and EFC to look even harder to find the next Jack Rodwell or Wayne Rooney and develop our academy to an even better level.

In these times of austerity where club finances are being scrutinized and questioned almost on a daily basis, it is the so-called bigger clubs and the big spenders that will tumble first (ref West Ham, Hull City, Sunderland etc etc). They'll tumble because they won't be able to adapt quick enough to the bargain basement buying that DM and EFC are well accustomed too nowadays (something that EFC do lead the way in!). Coming down from shopping at Sainsbury's to shopping at Aldi may be a shock to the system at first but, once you get used to it and return to living within your budgets, it's not such a bad thing.

The long term effect of being forced to live at a lower financial level is that more local talent will be sought and developed by clubs like Everton and, as such, more UK-born players will have their chance to make it into the EPL. And it doesn't stop there. The more UK-born players playing in the EPL means that there will be a greater pool of talent available to the national manager to tap into. We won't then have to rely on the "old guard" every time to represent us at World Cups and European Championships. You only have to look at Germany and their outstanding performance in the WC to see how belief in your "kids" and developing them correctly can reap rewards at the highest level.

So, getting back to your original point, there may be casualties along the way ? the likes of Arteta, Pienaar, and others leaving for the so-called promised land of Eastlands or WHL ? but, when you think about it, if we can't compete in financial terms and thus lose these quality players, then let's compete in other non-financial ways and develop the best youth players around. If Germany can do it, then I'm sure, with a good manager like DM, Everton can do something similar. The only question then is... how many of us are prepared to be patient, sit tight, and give our beloved football clubs time to carry out this transition that will benefit both club and country?

For what seems like a lifetime now, I've been questioning where Everton's money is at the beginning of every season (with the exception of maybe 1 in every 5 seasons where a decent sum will be spent).

This year, I have not given it much thought. Maybe this is because last year, when we had finished the season after a good run in the Uefa Cup, got to the FA Cup Final and qualified for Europe again, we had to sell before we could buy... or maybe it's because we're being told that the players' wages are so high and that a lot of Everton's income goes on managing our huge debt.

Either way, I don't expect much to happen in the near future. It seems like you can't have a responsible chairman and a very rich one. It's one or the other.

Mathew, you must be well rich, shopping in Aldi's. Us Netto shoppers can only drive past in awe at the sight of all that luxury.

Seriously though, 100% agree with you. One day the banks will be forced to stop bailing out the likes of Liverpool, then watch the mighty crumble.

Our ability to compete depends on our improvement next season over the improvement of our immediate competitors, surely. We finished eighth last year after a poor first third of the season and an excellent 2010.
We are told that this is the best squad DM has had, and it probably is, and that having several players back fit (and staying fit) is like several new signings (every year we hear this and every year we lose players ? without fail).

If we assume that what we currently have is what we're stuck with, we must ask how that measures up as a squad relative to our competition, CL being what we're supposedly aiming for:

Man Utd ? may not spend much now, but also will have 'several new signings' coming back from injury, so let's say that relative to them we might improve a bit or stay the same.

Chelsea ? will spend again but also have 'several new signings' coming back from injury, so relatively about the same.

Arsenal ? will spend on goalkeeper and defenders seemingly, so relatively about the same.

Spurs ? Harry always spends but we might make up some leeway over them.

Man City ? have spent and will keep on spending and, assuming that some of it will work, they will improve relative to us.

Aston Villa ? are as skint as we are, seemingly, so will have to sell to buy. We should be better off relatively (and they're a horrible team).

Liver[pool ? a mess but have a canny man as manager who has a track record of getting players to play better, but we should be better relative to them.

So, on that simplistic basis, the best we might hope for with the squad we have is possibly 6th, which, if we win a cup would be progress. To progress beyond that means some investment in players ? maybe not a great deal ? but midfield still looks light by two players... a fast wide player and a fast box-to-box central player maybe, and then you could probably get to 5th, overtaking Spurs and start to push 4th (Arsenal?).

Our current midfield lacks real quality IN DEPTH, unless you allow for a number of players being adaptable enough to fulfill more than one role, which is ok but will not get us into CL places. Looking for two top class performers in each position to achieve that aim, as the top 4/5 teams do... So say:

Rodwell/Fellaini as holding midfielders;
Pienaar/Bily and Osman/Anichebe as wide midfielders;
Arteta/Cahill and errrr.....

You could of course start to juggle:-

Heitinga could be holding midfielder releasing Rodwell to go forward, but he's Holland's first choice centre half for a reason.
You could assume Baxter or Gueye could replace Osman out wide and he could move into the centre but that's a big ask.

So, if we have what we have, let's assume some improvement this season and be content with that but to push on further is a big ask ? not impossible but a big ask.

Of course we might play 4-3-3!

This closed season has seen little in the way of real transfer activity (except early cheap/free deals) due to Everton's lack of financial credit caused by the Credit Cunch. So, how long can we truly go without seeing any real investment in the club? And how long wiill Moyes and the squad stay loyal?

I think we have to put things into perspective when talking about football clubs & money these days.
In the light of recent statements that have come from an independent body that states EFC are one of the most efficient & economical run clubs in Europe, this, based on outstanding debt, we should remember that although we're not the biggest spenders around, we do have a knack of combining good players on a substainable wage bill.

We must also remember that supporters are becoming increasingly fed up with the wage demands that certain individuals are making on an already burdened wage bill.

So, bottom line... we doing just fine!

What's so frustrating is we are one good right winger away from being a great team. We're not asking the board to fund a ridicuous spending spree that would see us go the way of Leeds. Just £6 million for Donovan, I believe, would really see us competing for a trophy, top 4 and/or possibly even the league. The financial rewards from this would easily repay the £6 million. Instead Moyes is left with nothing. It's this sort of short sightedness from Kenwright that cost us the CL in 2004 when he couldn't buy us a striker and it will end up costing us again this year.

Alan, absolutely spot on. That is what is so fustrating, we are so close and it is really annoying that we can't scrape together £6-7M for one player, hardly a gamble with the current squad as if neeeded one player would fetch that sum... so where is the reluctance from a lender ?

I applaud Moyes's honesty, better than the "Watch this space" bullshit, but if only we had just a little bit of money...

What is the point of scraping together £6 or 7 million for Donovan when the MLS aren't prepared to sell him?

If he was available, and if DM thought he would make enough of a difference, then the club would probably find a way... but he isn't available, so there is no point in going on about it.

Regarding LD, he was never to be available until end of MLS season (whatever he did in the WC and the recent MLS statements about him leaving the league). Him staying or going is up to Landon, not MLS. As an American I have to add it's pretty cool to finally have a player in that position.

Small potatos they may be in England, but Galaxy have their own ambitions internationally and believe they'll recognize them as long as Arena is Manager. Obviously, keeping LD is the main one. Let's see what happens in the X-fer window at the end of the year. But he was never coming on a transfer during MLS season. Arena wouldn't have taken the job otherwise.

For me, Gary (51) is on it, "bottom line... we doing just fine!". Have to agree.

Now, LD the Toffee mid-season turbo-boost? Oh yeah!!

COYB

Steve,

What, like Everton weren't interested in selling Lescott? Like Villa aren't interested in selling Milner?

Look with all transfers now it matters not what the club say, once the player declares he wants to go, he will go ? simple as that.

From variouus reliable sources, it's fair to say that Donavan would like to return to Everton; as such, the only thing standing in the way of a deal is money ? something we don't have, whether it's £5M, £10m... or to be quite honest, probably 10 quid!

That's all Alan and I were saying, that it's frustrating that we haven't got the finances to make the deal happen because, make no mistake, if we had the kind of money that Man City had, it would happen.

In recent news: "Last week, MLS commissioner Don Garber said the league would not consider transfer offers for Donovan.

"If we need to have a discussion at some point, then we will," Donovan said. "But at this point that's his opinion. If I were the commissioner I would say the same thing."